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Imagine that you had just bought a delicious Italian ice cream and your bus was coming. What would you do with the ice cream? If I were not in a hurry and knew that my next train was leaving in a few minutes, I would enjoy the ice cream in peace and wait for the next bus. Imagine the same situation. It would be a train, not a bus. The last train that you can take home. You’ll need to wait until the next day for the next one. What would you do with the ice cream? In this case, I would regret it. 

Jesus invites us to his kingdom. He wants to lead us along a narrow path that ends at a narrow gate, beyond which is paradise. Along this path, we must walk and take only as much as we can carry. We must give up many things that are important to us. It would delay us, drain us of our strength, and perhaps we would not reach our destination because of it. Because of my service in the Church, I often move, so I have learned the art of saying goodbye to what is unnecessary while always choosing Jesus.

Jesus went to the Feast of Tabernacles alone. They said: Is he the Messiah? But we know where he is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from. Jesus cried out: You both know me, and you know where I am from. And I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true.

We can look at life from different angles. For example, we can assume that everything that happens in it has its cause. For everything we see around us, for everything that is, was, and will be, there is some rational explanation that we can find if we search long enough. A few years ago, one of his close friends died. He felt bad at the funeral. In all that time, not a single prayer was said there, not a single spiritual song, not a text from the Scriptures, and not a single mention of God. 

The survivors were persuaded to remember the deceased’s life, and at the end, a few of his favorite songs were played. It sounded awkward, almost disrespectful to the deceased, who was a religious man. Many people look at life with eyes clouded by superstition. They view the world as the outcome of opposing forces of good and evil that influence and control us. Let us not only look for rituals that are forced upon us. In this Lenten season, let us find Christ as our Messiah.

Joseph, the shadow of the heavenly Father, is a figure of great significance in the story.

Today, we celebrate a man who played a key role in the history of salvation, even though he remained almost invisible. Saint Joseph. If we were to make a film about him, he would have no dialogue. Holy Scripture has not preserved a single word of his for us. But in that silence lies enormous power, from which we too can draw in 2026.

I want to share with you three key attitudes of Saint Joseph that can change our lives.

1. The courage to accept what I did not plan …

Joseph had dreams of his own. He wanted to be a good husband to Mary and live a peaceful life in Nazareth, working in his workshop. Then came God’s intervention, which turned everything upside down. Mary was pregnant. Joseph did not understand and suffered, but, as the Gospel says, he was “a just man.” We often imagine justice as simply following the rules. However, Joseph’s sense of justice meant being receptive to God. When the angel tells him in a dream, “Don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife,” Joseph does not analyze the risks. He accepts a reality that he did not choose but believes that God is present in it. How often do we struggle with circumstances brought into our lives by ‘unwanted angels’? Joseph teaches us: Don’t always ask ‘Why?’, ask ‘How can I serve in this situation now?’

2. The power of silent accompaniment …

The Holy Father Francis called Joseph “the shadow of the heavenly Father”. The shadow is not someone who dominates. The shadow does not shout; the shadow follows the person and protects them. Today’s world teaches us: “Show yourself, assert yourself, shout so that you are heard, build your brand.” Saint Joseph says something different: “Make space for others.” Joseph is a model of fatherhood and mentorship. A true father is not the one who owns a child, but the one who prepares him for his own path, even if that path leads completely differently than he imagined. Joseph raised Jesus, taught him the law, and taught him a trade, yet he knew that Jesus did not belong to him but to the Father. This is a huge lesson in humility for each of us who leads someone—whether in the family, at work, or in the parish.

3. Getting up in the middle of the night …

In the Gospel, we read the same sentence several times: “Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and did as the Lord had commanded him.” Joseph is not a theorist. He is a proactive individual. He does not wait for the morning to arrive; he waits for the sun to bring better conditions. He acts as soon as he recognizes God’s will. Brothers and sisters, Saint Joseph reminds us today that faith is not a feeling. Faith is choosing to get up and take the next right step, even in darkness. He is the patron saint of workers, not because he loved toil, but because he saw in work a way to love his family and God. As we leave this church today, let us try to take home a piece of Joseph’s silence. Perhaps we will talk less about our plans and listen more to what God is asking of us at this moment.

May Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family and protector of the Church, teach us fidelity in small things, for it is from small fidelity that great holiness is built. 

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem and doctor of ecclesiastical law.

CURRICULUM VITAE

He spent his youth in solitude, practicing virtues and studying. After his ordination as a priest, he was entrusted with the teaching of catechumens. In 348, he succeeded Maximus, bishop of Jerusalem. In times of need, he helped the poor people in every way possible. He was drawn into a dispute with the Arians and was exiled several times, where he spent about 11 years. The catechesis he conducted, in which he explained the teachings of the faith, the Holy Scriptures, and tradition to the faithful, serves as evidence of his pastoral zeal. In his writings, he discusses the first three sacraments in particular in detail.

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CATECHESIS OF DAILY LIFE

He was born around 314. In his youth, he developed an interest in monastic life, the study of the Bible, and early Christian writers. At about 20 years of age, he became a deacon, and 10 years later, in 344, a priest. At that time, the teachings of Arius, denying the Divinity of Christ, had already been condemned (at the Council of 325), but theological struggles were still taking place in the Middle East. Some theological expressions were not entirely clear, and at times a compromise formulation was sought to reduce tension. Cyril of Jerusalem was also interested in reducing tension. He perhaps participated in the effort to achieve a conciliatory stance, but as far as doctrine was concerned, he always firmly professed the Divinity of Christ.

In about 348 or the following year, after the death of the Jerusalem bishop Maximus, he took his place. In the episcopal see of Jerusalem, he was a very zealous spiritual shepherd. This did not please the metropolitan of Caesarea, Acacius, who unjustifiably accused him of doctrinal deviations and then of selling church property. Cyril of Jerusalem, in a time of dire need, sold expensive church utensils to alleviate the misery of the poor people. Acacius achieved that Cyril was twice expelled from Jerusalem, in the years 357 and 360. He spent most of his exile in Tarsus in Asia Minor, where he worked successfully.

He returned from exile in 361, worked in Jerusalem for six years, and then had to go into exile for a third time. He remained there until the death of the Arian emperor Valens in 378. Exile did not diminish his love, which he radiated. He blessed, taught, and helped the poor, the sick, and the abandoned. For the last eight years of his life, he administered his bishopric undisturbed. In 381, however, he participated in the Church Council in Constantinople. Among other things, the council investigated and declared the slanders against Cyril unfounded. For instance, he was accused of duplicity and of avoiding expressions that were the subject of theological disputes and caused confusion in matters of faith. Ultimately, it emerged that he was a staunch advocate of orthodox doctrine.
Cyril’s importance lies in his catechetical elaboration of Christian teachings. Twenty-four of his written catecheses have survived, nineteen of which were intended for catechumens. He explained, in particular, the sacraments of penance and baptism, and further discussed the profession of faith. The last five catechisms for the newly baptised covered confirmation and the Eucharist. In his writing, he relied on Holy Scripture and apostolic tradition. His teachings focused on everyday life. He practiced what he preached.

Perhaps that is why Pope Leo XIII declared him a Doctor of the Church in 1883.

RESOLUTION, PRAYER

To successfully spread the Gospel with love, I must bring this good news into my daily life. And practically give a joyful witness of life through the sacrament. In my meditation, I will focus on why I have not been doing this and what I need to change.

O God, who filled the holy Bishop Cyril with the spirit of wisdom and knowledge so that he might lead your Church to a deeper understanding of the mystery of salvation, grant, through his intercession, that we may ever better know your Son and live more fully in union with you. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

St. Gertruda

Gertrude, Abbess of Gertrude

CURRICULUM VITAE

She was the daughter of Pepin of Landen and Itta. Following her father’s death, her widowed mother established a monastery in Nivelles. Gertrude entered it with her mother and became an abbess. With great zeal, conscientiousness, and love, Gertrude led the sisters in their strict observance of the rule. She lived ascetically and performed works of mercy. She died at the age of 33, having spent about 19 years leading an exhausting religious life..

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KNOWLEDGE OF GOD CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH PERFECT LOVE

She was born in 626 in Landen, in the southern part of the province of Brabant. Her father, Pepin, was a majordomo (royal administrator) in eastern France. At a banquet attended by King Dagobert, the young Gertrude was asked for her hand in marriage. She told the king that she did not want a husband because she was already engaged to Christ and intended to belong to him alone.

Following her father’s death in 639, her widowed mother, Ita, founded a monastery for monks and nuns in Nivelles, now part of Belgium. Gertrude entered it at the age of fourteen. Gertrude became the first abbess, leading the young sisters with great zeal, conscientiousness, and love to strictly observe religious discipline. Gertrude enjoyed serving the elders and was hospitable to pilgrims, and the abbey became a base for missionary work by Irish monks.

After Ita’s death, she entrusted some of the monastery’s external affairs to neighboring monks and herself set about acquiring theological knowledge. She focused too much on the intellectual side, to the point that she became pensive and lost interest in prayer and meditation. However, a person who surrenders to God is not left without help. A voice spoke within her: “You will not know God by pondering and reasoning, because He is higher than reason and all human knowledge. You will know Him and approach Him only through perfect love.”

Gertrude listened to that voice, abandoned reason, and focused on making all her actions love. She continued her ascetic life of self-denial and fasting, and in contemplative prayers full of intimate communion with God. She did not neglect the works of mercy or the spiritual growth of the entire community.

She viewed life as short but important for the future. She saw it as a day full of work and hardship, for which she would be rewarded in eternity. Her life was cut short at the age of 33 due to exhaustion. Over the last three years of her life, her niece Viltruda had taken over her leadership role. According to her wishes, she was buried in penitential robes and a coarse veil.

According to legend, Gertrude once saved her country’s harvest from a plague of mice and rats through prayer. Consequently, mice became her distinctive attribute. It is said that, when a collection was organised for her tomb in Cologne, contributions in the form of gold and silver mice were received.

RESOLUTION, PRAYER

I will strive to ensure that all my actions, especially today, are guided by love.

God, you have revealed to us that loving our neighbour is the fulfillment of all your commandments. Help us to follow the example of Saint Gertrude and fill our actions with love so that we may enter your kingdom through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever.

Christ tells the royal official, “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will never believe.” Do we only believe because of miracles and wonders, or do we have greater faith in God and his Son? In my opinion, having trust in God and his actions is the fundamental building block of faith for each of us. We know that he is with us and knows our every step. Even though we often do not receive the answers and signs we desire straight away, we believe that God is thinking of us and that he has a plan for us which we will discover when the time is right.

During our time on Earth, we face many obstacles that we must overcome with God’s help. Sometimes the path is so difficult that we feel abandoned by God, as if He no longer loves us, and we lose trust in Him. Why doesn’t He give us a sign that He is with us when we need Him the most? Why doesn’t he listen to us when we’re at a crossroads? Have we become worthless to Him?

We don’t always realise it, but God is with us every minute of every day. He is our Father, giving us the strength to breathe, walk, exist and, most importantly, live. Every day, he lovingly leads us by the hand and calls us to him. He has already proven his love for us by sending his son into the world. He sacrificed himself on the cross and saved all of humanity through his resurrection. Just as the official from Capernaum wanted his son to live and be healthy, God our Father wants us, his children, to live with him forever in the Kingdom of Heaven.

During Lent, we have the opportunity to reflect on our thoughts and experiences, both personally and in relation to God. Let us give Him the opportunity to accompany us through this period and open our hearts to Him. If we do this, we will not regret it. God has proven time and again that he is the almighty Lord of heaven and earth, and that he cares about us. If we trust in Him, we will be rewarded, as Christ told the Apostle Thomas: ‘Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’

However, alongside the changes in history and the evolving sensibilities of young people, there are God-given gifts that remain everlasting and possess a transcendent power: the living and effective Word of God; the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, which nourishes us; and the sacrament of reconciliation, which frees and strengthens us. The Church also preserves an inexhaustible spiritual wealth in the witness of her saints and the teachings of outstanding spiritual teachers. Although we must respect the different stages of growth and sometimes wait patiently for the right moment, we must invite young people to these sources of new life. We have no right to deny them such great blessings (Christus vivit, paragraph 229).

Prayer: O God, in your ineffable goodness, you provide us with the means of salvation and constantly renew us. Guide your Church so that the work of your grace may bear fruit in her, and grant her what she needs on her journey to you. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

St. Matilda

Mathilda

CURRICULUM VITAE

She was the wife of the East Franconian King Henry I and the mother of Otto, who became the first emperor of that name. As a queen, she remained modest, and with her silence, patience, and love, she refined her husband’s harsh nature. She cared for the poor, helped the sick, and begged for mercy for prisoners. As a queen, she was deeply troubled that her sons quarreled among themselves over dynastic rivalry. After her father’s death, they reproached her for squandering the family fortune through her generosity. They also confiscated her dowry, which was her estate. She sank to the level of the poorest; she did not reproach herself for anything; she only prayed for her sons to improve. Her tears had an effect, and her prayers were answered. Her sons came to apologize to her with repentance.

CV FOR MEDITATION

THE FUNCTION OF A CHRISTIAN WIFE AND MOTHER

She was the daughter of Count Dietrich of Ringelheim of Saxony. She was born in Engern around 895. She spent her youth in the Herford Monastery in Westphalia, where she was raised under the supervision of her grandmother, also Matilda, who was abbess there. She acquired the piety and virtues necessary for her later life, which would later influence her role as a supportive wife and mother in the noble family she married into. In 913, she married Henry, son of Duke Otto of Saxony. As a wedding gift, she was given the town of Valhausen with its appurtenances.

Six years later, her husband, Henry I the Bird, was elevated to King of East Francia. Matilda softened and refined his harsh, domineering nature and, with her piety, quietness, and love, contributed to a beautiful marriage in which she had three sons: Otto, Henry, and Bruno, who became Archbishop of Cologne in 953, and a daughter, Gerberg. Some biographies mention two daughters.

When Henry I was dying after 23 years of marriage, he praised his wife in front of everyone and thanked her for giving him wise advice, taming his anger, turning him away from injustice, and teaching him mercy. He also thanked her for raising his children and entrusted them all to God. After his death, Matilda had a mass celebrated for him immediately. When her sons began to argue about the royal dignity, she said to them, “Look at your father and remember that all human glory is fleeting.

Matilda did make one mistake in her upbringing. She was more inclined towards her son Henry, and she wished him the throne, even though her firstborn Otto was called to it. This inclination had bad consequences. After Otto’s coronation in Aachen, Henry raised a rebellion against him, which was suppressed after fighting. Finally, Matilda managed to reconcile them with the help of prayers, but, incited by the courtiers, they became biased against her. Matilda still had a free hand in deeds of mercy and generous donations to the church. However, the courtiers accused her of giving away much of her property to people experiencing poverty and to monasteries. Whereupon her reconciled sons took away her estates, and Matilda, saddened by ingratitude, withdrew to her birthplace to live in seclusion in poverty and humility. She overcame grievances with peace and overcame anger with silence and prayer. She remained kind, knowing how easy it is to fan a small flame of anger into the destructive fire of greater sins. She set a good example.

King Otto recognized that God’s blessing had also left with his mother, and he heard the calls to call her back. He therefore acknowledged his mistake and sent her a message asking her to return with him. He and his brother, Henry, then rode to meet her, knelt before her, and asked for forgiveness. She embraced them with tears and said that if she had not deserved this trial because of her sinfulness, God would not have allowed her. She then continued to live with her sons in love and harmony.

In 955, her son Henry died, and she again completely died to the world, praying without ceasing and zealously performing works of Christian love. On weekdays, she diligently did manual labor so that, as she said, she would not eat bread in vain. On holidays, she reads religious books.

With the help of her husband and son, she founded several monasteries. She devoted the greatest interest and care to the monastery in Quedlinburg, where her husband was buried and where she also wanted to end her earthly pilgrimage.

She saw her son Otto I for the last time in 965, when he was returning from Rome to visit his brother Bruno in his archbishopric. There, he also met his sister, the Queen of West Francia. From there, Matilda took Otto to her newly founded monastery of Nordhausen near Erfurt. After the Holy Mass, they said goodbye at the monastery gate, and Matilda went to kiss the place where her son had prayed in gratitude. He then heard about it, and his mother’s love had a significant influence on him.

Matilda, foreseeing her death, returned to the convent of Quedlinburg in Anhalt and there received the sacrament of the sick from the hands of her grandson William. She had herself lain on the ground on a sackcloth robe and sprinkled ashes on her head as a sign of penance. Thus, she died and was buried beside her husband.

RESOLUTION, PRAYER

How important it is to lead children to the virtues necessary for life and not to withhold any. Whoever has children at home, let him resolve to remember this. If I belong to the others, I will pray for the education in other families. This is necessary for the whole Church and the whole world.

O God, who gave your servant Matilda the right knowledge and filled her with your love, we beseech you: fill us with these gifts of yours, that we may serve you with a sincere heart like her and bear witness to you by our faith and life. Through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end.

What is the first commandment? Asking oneself this question is a sign of intelligence. What is more important, and what is less important, in everything you do? Good students ask themselves these questions when preparing for exams. Sensible politicians, educators, and workers also do the same. Thus, even in moral life, certain duties are fundamental and applicable to everyone. Christians honor that love comes first. This is why they honored martyrs in the early days — their deaths were expressions of love “greater than which no one has” (cf. John 15:13). St Irenaeus of Lyons was a staunch opponent of the Gnostics, who considered knowledge to be the most important virtue. As he wrote, knowing much honored ascetic exercise, fasting, and self-mortification would be futile without love. In his ‘Religious Center ‘, Theodoret of Cyrus describes the harsh life of the Syrian monks, adding that the only reason for all this rigour is love.

What we love is at the centre of our interests. For someone who is not a true saint, the challenge to love God more than anything else seems impossible. This objection is reflected in the subtle irony of a national song: ‘If I loved God as I love you, I would have been a saint long ago, like the angels from heaven.’ A strict preacher of morals would label this amorous sigh as blasphemous. And yet life is different,exerciseCenter’ or worse. Most people love anything other than God with emotional enthusiasm. Fortunately, however, even those who are head over heels in love have not lost their minds so much that they cannot prioritise God’s law over their ‘love’ for something else if the two come into conflict. On public transport, priority is given to the main road or to the car driving on the right. Figuratively speaking, God enters our lives from the right; his laws are the main roads. Therefore, they take precedence over all other interests, even if we rush elsewhere, as adhering to God’s laws helps us prioritize our moral responsibilities over personal desires. Great Theodore God’s laws ensure that we align our actions with a higher moral standard that benefits the community as a whole.

Love unites us all. A mother is delighted when her child praises her. Her son’s success is her success too, because it is hers. The history of the Old Testament provides a beautiful example of similar delight in God. The glory of the Lord was synonymous with the Jewish army’s victory and strength. How often does the exclamation occur here: ‘The Lord, our God!’ They felt God was truly theirs. We should adopt this mindset so that we can rejoice in all of God’s kingdom’s successes and feel pain at all its failures, as if they were our own. Showing goodwill towards a friend means always being willing to do anything for them whenever they need something. God does not need anything from us in the true sense of the word. The only thing that can inspire this attitude is the external glory of God and the realization of God’s kingdom on earth. For this purpose, he sends people. Those who love Him respond to God’s command with the words of Isaiah: ‘Here am I, send me!’ (Is 6:8).

When we read the opening sentence of the Gospel, we might ask ourselves: Why does Jesus cast out an evil spirit? Is it because of the mute man? Or is it to show the onlookers a miracle so that they will believe in him? However, I would like to focus on what followed. Those who witnessed the event reacted in two ways. The evangelist Luke tells us that some of the crowd were amazed. Matthew clarifies the crowd’s speech: ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.’”

But Jesus’ opponents also speak out. Some demand a sign from heaven. They were not interested in Jesus; they wanted to tempt him. Their behavior resembled that of the devil in the desert. If they really wanted to believe, what they had just seen would have been enough. But Jesus does not try to make them believe with another miracle. God calls us to believe, not forces us.

Others of the opponents claimed that he casts out evil spirits by Beelzebub, the prince of demons. They could not question his works, which they themselves had seen, so they claimed that they came from someone other than God. Jesus responded to their words with calm logic. Why would Beelzebub cast out evil spirits and weaken that over which he had gained power? He would be against himself. And if that is the case, the kingdom of the Evil One will not stand. He concludes his argument by asking by whose power their sons cast out evil spirits. But Jesus does not end by refuting their claims. He also tries to direct his opponents to the good news that the kingdom of God has already come.

In conclusion, Jesus tells a mini-parable. We can put ourselves in the place of the strong man of the devil, as a treasure of ourselves, and as a conqueror of Jesus Christ. In many places in the Bible, the devil is spoken of as the ruler of this world, meaning the world of sin. However, with Jesus’ death on the cross, the devil is defeated, and we belong only to God. The lyrics of the song Clap Your Hands More come to mind: “He will now disarm the princes of the earth, and then he will reign.”

At the very end, Jesus says the phrase, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters!” You might wonder if it would not be nicer to say, “He who is not against me is with me.” Such a phrase would speak of mercy. But Jesus does not mean it that way. He is pointing out two sides here, good and evil. And that is why he says these words, in which case neutrality or another direction is not possible, as one must choose to align with either good or evil in their actions and beliefs. In this story, even though it may seem gloomy at first glance, Jesus gives us hope for the kingdom of God and encourages us to follow it. And not only will the kingdom of God come, but it is already among us.

Young people also carry the wounds of fate, failure, and sad memories deeply imprinted on their souls. “These wounds originate in life’s losses, in frustration at unfulfilled desires, in experiences of discrimination, and in the feeling of not being loved or recognized.” “Furthermore, they are moral wounds, the weight of one’s own mistakes, feelings of guilt for failure.” In these crosses of young people, Jesus is present to offer them his friendship, relief, healing closeness, and the Church wants to be his instrument on this journey towards inner healing and peace of heart.

Prayer: We humbly beseech you, O God, that we may ever more deeply penetrate the Paschal mystery, that we may celebrate the approaching feast of our redemption with true piety. We ask this favor through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end.